The Silent Bionics
by daphrose
Summary: For once in his life, it was quiet. Didn't he deserve that today, of all days? (Part four of my Christmas 2015 one-shots)


**Another short Christmas one-shot, and surprisingly it turned out longer than I thought it would. XD And better. I really like it.**

 **This is part four of my Christmas 2015 one-shots. I recommend you read A Mad Chase's Christmas, 12/24, and Wizards in Christmas Decorations (in that order) before reading this one.**

 **This story is based off the song "The Silent Nutcracker" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which is a little more laid-back than the other songs I've used by them, so that explains why this story is not so intense or crazy as the others.**

 **I don't own Lab Rats or Miracle on 34th Street, and I hope you enjoy!**

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 *** * * The Silent Bionics * * ***

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I sat underneath a blanket with a cup of cocoa in my hands and _Miracle on 34th Street_ playing on the TV. I sighed contentedly and leaned back—this was the life.

I heard the keys jiggle in the lock, and I groaned. The door opened to reveal Mom and Grandma. "There's my boy!" Grandma shouted before she could even cross the threshold.

"Grandma!" I cried as she ran up and pulled me to my feet so she could squeeze the life out of me—I mean, give me a hug.

"What've you been up to, Leo?" Mom asked as she hung up her coat and moved over to the couch.

"Oh, just enjoying the peace and quiet," I said. "I can't tell you how _amazing_ it is without hundreds of kids with bionics running around."

Mom chuckled. "You've been talking about that ever since you got home."

"Donald's treating you all right over there, isn't he?" Grandma Rose asked. She grabbed my head and began to inspect me. "It doesn't sound safe to be out in the middle of ocean on an island full of robot people."

"It's fine, Grandma," I said, pushing her away. "It's just loud; that's all."

Grandma nodded and moved to take her luggage upstairs. We'd come to understand each other a little better over the last year; she'd especially enjoyed our _special_ Black Friday trip the previous month, and I was hoping to ride her good side through all of the holiday season.

It wasn't long before Grandma made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen, calling my mom and bossing her around so she could prepare the perfect Christmas Eve dinner. I grinned and snuggled up under the blanket again, glancing over my shoulder at the Christmas tree and the sun setting in the window behind it. Such a perfect Christmas image.

The doors from the lab slid open and revealed Douglas and Big D. The latter ran over to give my mom a hug, and the former slunk away from Grandma's cold stare; she hadn't quite forgiven him since she learned how and why I'd received my bionics.

"Watching a movie, Leo?" Douglas asked as he walked up to me.

"Yeah. Enjoying the silence."

He nodded. "That's good. I'm going to go enjoy the silence in my room."

"Don't you want to stay down here with us?"

Douglas looked between me, Big D, my mom, and Grandma Rose. "Nah. See you guys for dinner."

He turned to go, but as he did, I noticed something odd. "Douglas . . . why are there lights sticking out of your shirt?"

Douglas groaned. "It's a long story." He trudged upstairs without saying anything else.

I shrugged and turned back to my movie, trying to ignore Grandma Rose criticizing Big D for who knows what. Sure, they'd smoothed over _some_ differences, but at the end of the day, they were bound to be at odds with each about something.

The elevator doors opened again, and this time Adam, Bree, and Chase came out. Adam and Bree were shouting at each about something, and Chase had his hands pressed to the sides of his head.

I groaned and paused the movie, seeing as how I couldn't even hear it anymore. Adam and Bree shouted, Grandma and Big D bickered, and Mom put a hand on Chase's shoulder and started to question him.

"Leo!" Bree shouted. "You won't _believe_ what Adam did."

"He trashed the island?"

She looked bewildered. "How'd you know?"

"It's _Adam_."

"I didn't _trash_ it," my brother said, "I _decorated_."

"If decorated means destroyed, yes."

"Hey, you shouldn't have left me in charge!"

"I know, that was a stupid mistake on my part."

"Besides, I think it looks great. And Bob agrees!"

"Yeah, Bob. I definitely shouldn't have left you two alone with no supervision."

Adam chuckled. "Yeah, that was your mistake."

Chase stumbled over and took a seat next to me on the couch.

"Mind telling me what this is all about?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Adam trashed the place, I had a weird dream I need to tell you about, and Bree went on a mission. That's about all I know."

"You three didn't go on a mission together?"

"No," Bree said, "because our mission leader fell off a ladder!"

"Would you stop _shouting_?" Chase said, glaring at her. "You're making my headache worse."

"You wouldn't even have a headache if you hadn't been so sure you could handle the star yourself."

"Look, I don't even remember putting the stupid thing on the tree, so lay off, okay?"

"The tree's knocked over, anyway," Adam said. "The star's a whole lot easier to take down."

"You know," Bree said, "working with my girls was a lot easier than working with you two. You're both such idiots!"

I looked over to the kitchen and saw Grandma Rose and Big D still going at it, and though Mom tried to break it up every few seconds, it did no good. With a sigh, I stood up on the couch and let out an ear-splitting whistle.

"Ow," Chase mumbled at my feet.

"Look!" I said, now that I had my family's attention. "Christmas is supposed to be a time where we come together as a family, not drive each other apart. You remember what the angels said during the Christmas story, don't you? 'On earth peace, good will toward men.' Peace isn't exactly going to come if we all keep arguing like this. Christmas is a time to sit back and relax.

"I know we're all busy, and we're all stressed from this year; a lot has happened. But this is a time to be with each other. I love this family, but it's been a long time since we all sat down together and were just _with_ each other. And if y'all really won't shut up, get out so I can watch this movie in peace."

The members of my family looked back and forth at each other.

"I guess you're right, baby," Grandma sighed. Then she glared at Big D. "But I still can't stand him."

"You don't have to get along completely," I said. "Just be quiet with him and be grateful that you have family to be with."

"Yeah," Bree said. "I guess we got lucky there, huh? At least we have a family to be with during the holidays."

"They're right." We all looked up to see Douglas leaning on the banister at the top of the stairs. "Spending Christmas all by yourself isn't fun—believe me, I would know—but neither is spending it fighting with everyone. If even Donnie and I can put aside our differences for a week, I know all you can."

"I never agreed to put aside our differences," Big D muttered. "But yeah, you two are right . . . as much as I hate admitting Douglas is right." He narrowed his eyes. "Let's all just sit down and enjoy the movie together—as a family."

Everyone piled on or around the couch, and I hit play.

Sure, I still had questions about how Adam managed to thoroughly trash the island and what Chase dreamed about and how Bree's solo—plus her "girls," apparently—mission went. But none of that mattered. What mattered was being there, together, with the people we loved so much.

One adopted father/biological uncle, one adopted uncle/biological father, one overbearing grandmother, one slightly less overbearing stepmom, one quirky and yet completely awesome stepbrother, and three bionic siblings. It doesn't get much crazier than that.

Surprisingly, that complicated group of people actually managed to sit in silence and enjoy each other's presence—at least until the end of the movie when Adam pulled the star off the tree and tried to place it on Chase's head.

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 **Ta-da! Yay Christmas! :D So yeah, sappy family fluff. Who doesn't love that? Short but sweet, am I right?**

 **I apologize for any grammar mistakes. It was a little hard to read this aloud while editing, 'cause my nose is hopelessly stuffed up. I got sick for Christmas! -_- Luckily it's just a head cold, but still . . . bleck.**

 **Reviews are awesome, like always. Let me know what you thought about it. And hey, you know what I realized? Merry Glitchmas premiered over a year ago now. Let that sink in for a moment. . . . (whereonearthdoesthetimego?)**

 **From me to all of you, have a very merry, happy, safe, loving, awesome Christmas. Spend it with the ones you love, and if you happen to get a few gifts along the way, I don't see a reason to complain. ;) And to the Christians out there, don't forget to wish Jesus a happy birthday, okay? I love you guys all so much, and I gotta tell you, I'm grateful to have you for my readers. The Lab Rats community is the absolute best. :3 Enjoy the fireplaces and presents and eggnog and gingerbread and friendship and family and good fanfiction stories, and I'll see you all soon.**

 **Merry Christmas!**

 **~ daphrose**


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